Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the condition of RAAC at Leighton Hospital in Crewe and Nantwich constituency.

As one of the seven hospitals constructed mostly using reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), Leighton Hospital was selected to be rebuilt as part of the New Hospital Programme (NHP) in May 2023. It is also part of NHS England’s robust national RAAC programme, which is backed by £954 million. This programme has delivered mitigation, safety, and eradication works across all National Health Service sites in England with confirmed RAAC, to keep facilities safe and open, including Leighton Hospital. Keeping capacity open but being scrupulous about monitoring and mitigation until the hospital is rebuilt is fully in line with the current evidence and recommendations of the Institute of Structural Engineers.

As the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced, and as subsequently confirmed in the Chancellor’s statement on 29 July 2024, the Department will undertake a full and comprehensive review of the NHP to provide a realistic and costed timetable for delivery. This will take into account the urgent need to rebuild Leighton Hospital to ensure the safety of staff and patients. Once the review into the NHP is concluded the Secretary of State will update Parliament and set out the next steps for the Programme.